RonK wrote:Tsk, tsk, tsk. Why is it that people persist with the idea that using drop bars means they are compelled to use the lowest position?

Most tourists with drop bars would rarely ride in the drops, and mostly use the multiple hand positions along the tops, where the riding position need be no lower than with flat bars.

I dislike flats. Even with bar ends there are not enough hand positions to relieve discomfort. But since I rarely use the drops, I'm considering bullhorns to replace the flats on my Van Nicholas, these will give me the same multiple hand positions without the drops.

Really are bull horns not the equalivant of flats with bar ends (stem dependent).As for drop handlebars, if your not going to use the drops, why have all that redundant real-estate on the bike? Once you've your cockpit loaded with what ever is your choice of paraphernalia, other than using the drops, what multiple hand positions are there compared to flats (of the same width)? I suspect that its a retro grouch love of the ascetics and a perception of how a "proper" bike should look.

I ride a Surley Ogre, setup with a Surley rear panier rack. I have no problems with clearance between feet and panier bags. The Orgre frame gives one sufficient clearance and mounting points for a rear disk and rear panier rack. Currently have 700 x 42C tyres, but there is plenty of room for wider tyres.

simonw... wrote:Hello Andrew (?), Simon here, visiting the site for the first time.

I ride a Surley Ogre, setup with a Surley rear panier rack. I have no problems with clearance between feet and panier bags. The Orgre frame gives one sufficient clearance and mounting points for a rear disk and rear panier rack. Currently have 700 x 42C tyres, but there is plenty of room for wider tyres.

Simon

Hi Simon,welcome to the forum Andrews asleep dreaming about trip tropping across secluded bridges to see if an Ogre or Troll comes out Now with a bold statement of ownership of one of the more interesting bikes out there, how bout some pics? Did you buy as a fully build or as a frame?Tell us more or unlike Andrew, in this house at least there will be no sleep

rifraf wrote:Really are bull horns not the equalivant of flats with bar ends (stem dependent).

No, they are not - even with the Ergon grips and long Ergon bar ends fitted the flat bars have only three hand positions.

rifraf wrote:As for drop handlebars, if your not going to use the drops, why have all that redundant real-estate on the bike?

Hence my consideration of bull horns. Similar to this setup, which replicates the tops and hood positions without the drops.

rifraf wrote:Once you've your cockpit loaded with what ever is your choice of paraphernalia, other than using the drops, what multiple hand positions are there compared to flats (of the same width)?

Apart from Boofhead the freeloader, no paraphernalia, but four basic hand positions and an infinite number of in between positions on the tops of the bars. And these bars are narrower than the flats. I find the smooth bends the most comfortable hand position, but use all of the tops and the hoods to vary the pressure on my wrists and hands.

rifraf wrote: I suspect that its a retro grouch love of the ascetics and a perception of how a "proper" bike should look.

Oww - just remembered. I bought some bull horns for the Moulton ages ago. It was close to a xmas and there was a long wait with lots of hanging around the mailbox when the postie was due. When finally they arrived, I was highly miffed to discover they were much fatter than my MTB bars and not only would they not fit my stem, but from memory my brakes and shifters wouldnt mount. Caution Will Robinson springs to mind

New(ish) here, I have been running a Niner SIR9 as a touring bike in various guises. It has been run with a Rohloff, SS or normally geared. Depending on the terrain as a rigid bike or with a front fork. I like the flexibility of the Niner, it is kind of my Lego bike, always changing it. For touring I really like the On-One Fleegle bars.

I missed this post. Welcome Omo to the forum.Love your bike - looks the bizo I think I read another of your posts suggesting you like SS?Oh and you just sold your Rohloff - wow!You too like Ron being underwhelmed by it?Whilst I cant imagine myself getting on with a SS I can admire those who can - good on ya for having an interesting choice.I'm too old and fat to be lugging it up hills and rises and love my Moultons low 16.7 inch gear for creeping up them.Does your bike have rack mounts on the rear in case you ever fancied panniers?CheersAidan

Wont be too long and I'll have those answers first hand with regards the Rohloff.A Surly Ogre order went through this morning after an email from Jenson informing me they now sell the frames in black.Also coming in that order is some silver 36H Dyad rims to match silver spokes and polished alloy Rohloff/Son28 disk hubs.Seatpost and stem will be black, Tubus Cosmo in SS, Black Brooks saddle with copper rivets all go towards the aesthetics.I'm hopeful the relatively light Dyad rims matched with CX-Ray spokes will help somewhat alleviate the burden of the packagesweighty 4130 stovepiping and heavy hubs. I'll have to research tyres carefully to try to find the balance between weight and puncture proofdue to the problematic rear wheel removal of this particular frameset. I'm looking forward to getting the project underway.

After some encouragement here I did consider the 18" frameset which would have enabled the possibility of reaching some drop bars allowing more possibilitiesfor hand positioning. After looking at many photos oniine including all the threads in http://forums.mtbr.com/ about Ogres (theres a few), I came to the conclusion I didnt like both the necessary seatpost height nor handlebar height and stem spacers needed to make this work.

Going for the large (20) I'll be stepping way out of my comfort zone with the Ogres long, in my opinion, effective top tube at 616.3mm. For many years now I've been riding a bike with an ETT of 55.5cm so I'm going to feel very stretched out.I'll be looking to buy the shortest reach stem with the tallest angle available and making my seattube a straight version rather than one with setback.My measurement between the BB spindle and saddletop of approx 73cm also factored into this decision. I'll be using the same length, 170mm, cranks as my current bike.

rifraf wrote:Wont be too long and I'll have those answers first hand with regards the Rohloff.A Surly Ogre order went through this morning after an email from Jenson informing me they now sell the frames in black.

Sounds like a July tour needs to be planned ... maybe the Holland Track will put it to the test

Difference between Gen1 and Gen2: - Replaceable alloy rear mech. hanger on Gen2, integrated steel one on the Gen1 - Lower headset high and suspension fork corrected on the Gen2 - Colours changed on Gen2, Gen1 only came in funboy green I think it is called. - Cage mounts changed on the forks on the Gen2 for the Anything Cage, doesn't fit on the Gen1

Rest of the changes where just groupset/component changes.

Might be about time for a current photo of it with panniers, will get around to that when I get home from business travel.

DavidL wrote:Here is a pic. of it that I also put on your Ogre thread.

Difference between Gen1 and Gen2: - Replaceable alloy rear mech. hanger on Gen2, integrated steel one on the Gen1 - Lower headset high and suspension fork corrected on the Gen2 - Colours changed on Gen2, Gen1 only came in funboy green I think it is called. - Cage mounts changed on the forks on the Gen2 for the Anything Cage, doesn't fit on the Gen1

Rest of the changes where just groupset/component changes.

Might be about time for a current photo of it with panniers, will get around to that when I get home from business travel.

- David.

Hi DavidLook forward to more pics - never seem to get sick of looking at touring capable bikes and their set ups.Good to know the difference between the generations.I'm sure Andrew will enjoy knowing that as he was looking at a Fargo as a possibility and is comfortable with drops.Replaceable alloy rear mech. hanger is a thoughtful upgrade which I wish the Ogres had, but as I'm going Rohloff it hopefully wont be an issue.Do you ride much tarmac with those tyres and how are they wearing?CheersAidan